


Ostinato

by Coffin Liqueur (HP_Lovecats)



Category: Psychonauts (Video Games)
Genre: Character Study, Implied/Referenced Past Canonical Child Death, Pre-Canon, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Some Bonding On The Side, Trauma, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27448921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HP_Lovecats/pseuds/Coffin%20Liqueur
Summary: Milla smooths over the aftermath of a training mishap.
Relationships: Sasha Nein & Milla Vodello
Kudos: 8





	Ostinato

_Milla._

The PSI Portal closed.

Milla fluttered her eyes back open to Sasha, finishing a sway as he regained balance in his re-inhabited body.

_Why did you let us die...?_

“I... apologize,” he said, adjusting his sunglasses.

_Milla._

She shut her eyes again, smiled, and hummed into a soft laugh.

“And why is _that_ , Agent Nein?”

“I will admit that I made some... unprofessional assumptions.” _Milla! Why did you let us die...? Why did you let us burn, Milla...?_ “As... _busy_ \- as what I’d previously seen of your mind is, I...”

“Mm...?”

_Oh... It’s hot...!_

...She tossed her head and smiled gently with teeth, looking down at him gentle-eyed, noticing that her suspension in midair had begun to stabilize. Good, good.

_It’s burning...!_

“Go right ahead, Sasha, dear — I’m not offended!” She let her voice ring like a bell and her head fall to a casual angle.

He averted his face, tip of two gloves fingers still to the bridge of his glasses. “ — I hadn’t guessed,” he said, voice lowering and flattening, “that you would have powers of containment strong enough to keep so many Nightmares in such a tightly-confined space.”

_Why did you let us burn, Milla...?_

“And so... I’m sorry. ...I’ve disrespected my colleague, and... I may have seen things I shouldn’t have seen.”

“Oh, _tut-tut-tut_ , Agent Nein...” She wagged her finger metronomically. Lifted her head high. “The Cadets get into some _crazy places_ sometimes, I’m sure you will agree; that’s what children do - ” _Why...?_ “ - they _explore!_ ”

_It hurts, Milla...!_

Another singsong off of a humming chuckle. “— And I haven’t got as much stuffed into _my_ box as you’ve managed to cram into yours, ah?”

_Why did you let us die?_

“Don’t worry about me, my dear — and get back to your class, all right?” Her eyes slipped shut again. “I’ll have these little terrors rounded _riiiiiight_ back up in a few minutes...”

She detached. Turned in on herself.

Moved through black to gray warmed through by color.

Her heart seized as the whisper of her name grew louder.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the r/FanFiction November 2020 prompt challenge. November 5th: "Ostinato".


End file.
